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Biomedical subjects

Ajit K Sachdeva

Publications and source records attributed to Ajit K Sachdeva.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

The new paradigm of continuing education in surgery.

Concerns regarding the shortcomings of traditional continuing medical education (CME) have led to widespread acceptance of the concept of continuous professional development (CPD). Continuous professional development focuses on the individual learning needs of physicians across the continuum of their professional careers and encompasses a broad range of educational activities. Continuous professional development activities of practicing surgeons should be integrated with the core competency of practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI), which involves a cycle of 4 steps-identifying areas for improvement, engaging in learning, applying new knowledge and skills to practice, and checking for improvement. The effectiveness of CPD and PBLI should be objectively evaluated by assessing their impact on surgeons' learning and performance and on patient care outcomes. A portfolio may be used to document CPD and PBLI activities and can serve as a valuable learning and assessment tool. It should contain information on the personal learning projects pursued by the surgeon. Continuous professional development of the entire surgical team and education of patients and their families need to be considered within the context of the surgeon's CPD efforts to positively affect patient care. Thus, a concept of global 360 degrees education should be embraced. Continuous professional development integrated with PBLI can help surgeons address their specific learning needs and play a pivotal role in surgeons' providing the best care to patients.

Education, Medical, Continuing↗
PubMed2005

Acquiring skills in new procedures and technology: the challenge and the opportunity.

The process of acquiring new surgical skills beyond the period of residency training should include selection of a complete educational experience founded on a disease-based approach rather than an isolated intervention. Deliberate practice and avoidance of automaticity through the establishment of learning goals that exceed the current level of performance should help in developing expertise. The Division of Education of the American College of Surgeons (Chicago, Ill) has undertaken steps to support surgeons' efforts in acquiring skills in new procedures and technologies. A major area of focus is verifying the knowledge and skills of surgeons at the completion of experiential courses. The division is developing a model to establish a network of ACS-Accredited Education (Skills) Centers. A comprehensive and well-designed approach is essential to support surgeons' efforts to acquire new skills to provide the best care to patients.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed2005

Management of adverse surgical events: a structured education module for residents.

BACKGROUND: This pilot project involved the development of a structured, experiential, educational module using a bench model technical skills simulation and standardized patients. It integrated teaching and assessment of clinical, technical, and interpersonal skills, as well as professionalism within the context of an adverse surgical event. METHODS: General surgery residents (postgraduate year [PGY] 2, 3) were asked to participate in the pre-, intra-, and postoperative management of a patient with a retroperitoneal sarcoma. Residents' performances during the module were assessed by standardized patients and faculty, and residents were provided feedback during debriefing sessions. RESULTS: Resident performance during the module was appropriate for the level of training. Residents found this module to be a realistic, challenging, and beneficial learning experience. CONCLUSIONS: Novel educational modules such as this one may serve as a useful addition to resident education in surgery residency programs, particularly in addressing patient safety and the core competencies. Reliability of the model may be enhanced by modifications of the module.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed2003

Expectations of and for clerkship directors: a collaborative statement from the Alliance for Clinical Education.

PURPOSE: The clerkship director (CD) is an essential leader in the education of medical students on clinical rotations. This article represents a collaborative effort of the national clerkship organizations that comprise the Alliance for Clinical Education (ACE), a multidisciplinary group formed in 1992. ACE suggests that selection of a CD be regarded as an implied contract between the CD and the department chair that each will take the steps to ensure the success of the clerkship and of the CD. This article sets standards for what should be expected of a CD and provides guidelines for the resources and support to be provided to the person selected for leadership of the clerkship. SUMMARY: In their roles as CDs, educators engage in three principal activities: administration, teaching, and scholarly activity, such as educational research. This article describes (a) the work products that are the primary responsibility of the CD; (b) the qualifications to be considered in selection of a CD; (c) the support structure, resources, and personnel that are necessary for the CD to accomplish his or her responsibilities; (d) incentives and career development for the CD; and (e) the dedicated time that should be provided for the clerkship and the CD to succeed. Studies by several CD organizations conclude that 25% should be considered a minimum estimate of time for the administrative aspects of running a clerkship. With the added teaching and scholarly activities undertaken by a CD, a minimum of 50% of an full-time equivalent has been recognized as appropriate. The complexity and the need for timeliness in the cyclic and often repetitive tasks of the clerkship require that a full-time administrative assistant be part of the structure dedicated to running the clerkship. CONCLUSION: ACE recommends that institutions have clear standards for what is expected of the director of a clinical clerkship and have correspondingly clear guidelines as to what should be expected for CDs in their career development and in the support they are given.

Career Mobility↗
PubMed2002

Effective faculty preceptoring and mentoring during reorganization of an academic medical center.

The experience and lessons learned in the design, implementation and initial evaluation of a demonstration faculty-to-faculty mentoring program, during a time of major institutional reorganization, are described. The question addressed was: Can a voluntary mentoring program be established with minimal resources and be effective in the context of major organizational change? Key design elements included two-tiered programs (one year preceptoring and multi-year mentoring), voluntary participation, and selection of senior faculty members by the junior faculty members. A total of 20% of junior faculty and 30% of senior faculty participated. Faculty indicated the program was worth the time invested, had a positive impact on their professional life and increased productivity. There was high satisfaction with the mentoring relationship, especially the psychosocial mentoring functions, and a trend toward increased retention of minority faculty. Within two years, the program was institutionalized into the Office for Faculty Affairs, and faculty approved a mentoring policy. It is concluded that voluntary mentoring programs can have a positive impact on junior and senior faculty satisfaction, reinvigorate the collegial culture, and improve productivity and retention even during a time of reorganization and minimal resources.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed2002

Acquisition and maintenance of surgical competence.

Rapidly developing and emerging technologies, unprecedented scientific advances, significant changes in societal expectations, intense focus on physician competence, concerns regarding patient safety, and new mandates all have had a major impact on both surgical practice and surgical education. The definition of 6 general competencies by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the American Board of Medical Specialties and the introduction of the concept of maintenance of certification require surgical educators, and indeed all surgeons, to reevaluate the methods currently in use to ensure competence in surgery. The multidimensional aspects of competence make verification and certification of a competent surgeon an extremely challenging task. However, a combination of traditional and innovative approaches may be used to facilitate achievement of the general competencies. Such approaches should be based on principles of adult education and experiential learning. Education research has yielded valuable information on the validity and reliability of a number of innovative methods that may be used to teach and assess several general competencies. Additional efforts are needed to address the other competencies effectively using novel approaches. The American College of Surgeons and other surgery specialty societies are well positioned to play a pivotal role in supporting the learning needs of practicing surgeons, residents, and medical students within the context of the general competencies and facilitating their continuing professional development.

Clinical Competence↗